Today we have published the first trial prompted by the Restoring Invisible and Abandoned Trials (RIAT) initiative. Dr Tom Treasure from UCL, with colleagues from University of Sussex and Imperial College, have brought back from obscurity the results of the ‘CEA Second-Look’ trial. The study asked the question: in patients who have undergone a […]
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The CEA Second-Look Trial: a randomised controlled trial of carcinoembryonic antigen prompted reoperation for recurrent colorectal cancer
A trial that remained unpublished for 20 years casts doubt on the survival benefit of repeat (“second look”) surgery for bowel cancer. The trial is published in BMJ Open today. It is the first to be restored under the restoring invisible and abandoned trials (RIAT) initiative that allows third parties to publish previously abandoned studies […]
Comparing the results from two surveys of BMJ Open authors
BMJ Open authors were among those surveyed by Professor David J Solomon of Michigan State University for a study recently published in the journal PeerJ. Needless to say we read this with great interest (we were unaware of the survey until the results were published). The survey reported a generally positive response to BMJ Open […]
Salt, eating disorders and the impact of funding deadlines: most read articles in April
This month’s most read article was Krijthe et al.’s study on non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and the risk of atrial fibrillation. Newly-published papers in the top ten most read include He et al.’s paper on salt reduction in England, and it’s relationship to blood pressure, stroke and ischaemic heart disease mortality and also Räisänen et al.’s paper on the role of gendered […]
Very overweight teens face stigma, discrimination, and isolation
Very overweight teens face a social world of stigma, discrimination, and isolation because of their body size, reveals an analysis of their views, published in the online journal BMJ Open. And they have to overcome many other additional barriers to lose weight, making it especially hard for them to shed the pounds, the findings suggest. […]
Lower salt intake likely to have had key role in plummeting cardiovascular disease deaths in past decade
The 15% fall in dietary salt intake over the past decade in England is likely to have had a key role in the 40% drop in deaths from heart disease and stroke over the same period, concludes research published in BMJ Open. But average intake across the nation is still far too high, warn the […]
The perception that eating disorders are a women’s problem delays men getting help
The widespread perception that only women have eating disorders is preventing men with these problems from getting the help and support they need, indicates a small study published in the online journal BMJ Open. Estimates suggest that around 1 in 250 women and 1 in 2000 men in the UK have anorexia nervosa, one of […]
Painkillers linked to heightened irregular heartbeat risk in older adults
Current and recent use of painkillers/anti-inflammatories may be linked to a heightened risk of an irregular heartbeat (atrial fibrillation) among older adults, finds a large population study published in BMJ Open. Atrial fibrillation has itself been linked to stroke, heart failure, and reduced life expectancy, while previously published research has linked the use of non-steroidal […]
Deadlines, dementia, and radiation: Most read articles in March
March’s most read article was Gómez-Perretta et al.’s study on symptoms related to GSM radiation from mobile phone base stations. Newly-published papers in the top ten most read include Aziz Dhedhi et al.’s narrative analysis of GP’s accounts on the meaning of ‘timely’ diagnosis of dementia and also Herbert et al.’s paper on Australian researchers and […]
Social media, autism and diet patterns: Most read articles in February
The most-read article in February was Brurberg et al.’s systematic review of case definitions for chronic fatigue syndrome. Hsiao et al.’s paper on road traffic injury mortality has also been popular. Other newly-published papers in the top ten most read include Jenkins et al.’s randomised controlled trial on the effect of a vegan low-carbohydrate diet on cardiovascular risk factors and body weight […]